STAY CONNECTED WITHOUT FEELING THE PINCH
“International travelers should consider a Google phone plus Google’s phone service, Project Fi,” Perrin says. “For $20 per month you get unlimited domestic texts and calls and unlimited international texts, and you pay only $10 per 1GB for data usage in more than 135 covered countries,” she explains.
Dubash also recommends Google’s Project Fi, highlighting its fast, 4G speeds and low rate. Best of all, “Using data at home costs the same as using data overseas, and you get a credit back for any unused data,” Perrin says. When in transit, Perrin also advises looking for free Wi-Fi, not only in common places like coffee houses, “but in libraries, museums and often hotel lobbies.”
USE STOPOVER FLIGHTS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Booking stopover flights might not come to mind as a convenient way to save on transportation. But with many carriers offering complimentary programs that give you the chance to explore an additional destination before reaching your final stop, these routes offer an enticing proposition for value-minded jet-setters.
With Tap Air Portugal, for instance, you can take advantage of a free stopover in Porto or Lisbon without paying an additional price, and you can seize upon exclusive promotions and special discounts. Meanwhile, with Icelandair you can tack on an extra week in Reykjavik, and with Finnair you can stay up to five days in Helsinki on routes between North America and Asia or Europe – at no additional cost.
PICK A HOTEL WITH COST-SAVING BENEFITS AND PERKS
This is a no-brainer. Choose a property that will tender meaningful privileges that translate to significant savings. “Some hotels give you free Wi-Fi, and some exempt you from Wi-Fi fees if you sign up for their frequent-guest program,” Perrin explains. Sampson also suggests looking for properties “that include breakfast, shuttle service or free parking.”
In some cases, simply asking about complimentary amenities available can translate to savings. These days, a variety of high-end hotels offer little-known freebies, from complimentary happy hours to free shuttle service to gym facilities to toiletries. Before you book, check what’s available to you.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LITTLE-KNOWN 24-HOUR RULE
Even seasoned globetrotters often overlook this underutilized U.S. Department of Transportation rule that enables you to cancel or tweak your reservation with most carriers for domestic flights within 24 hours of booking. The only snag: If you’re planning a spur-of-the-moment trip and you’ve purchased tickets within a week of your departure date, the 24-hour rule doesn’t go into effect.
So, if you need to pivot your plans, make sure to tweak your reservation within 24 hours to avoid incurring a sky-high change fee. And to benefit from the rule after locking in a reservation, search the web and trusted booking and price-monitoring tools (again) for a better price or seize upon flash sales.
CONSIDER ALL LODGING OPTIONS
If you’re looking to break away from a cookie-cutter experience and cut costs, consider alternative options, “from B&Bs and hostels with private rooms to home and apartment rentals,” Schlichter says. And if you know you’ll want to take advantage of specific amenities, such as a fitness center, a pool and diverse on-site dining options, consider staying at an all-inclusive, with meals, daily activities and entertainment bundled into a predictable rate.
If you’re contemplating where to stay on a family getaway, an all-inclusive is a particularly attractive choice with age-appropriate activities geared toward toddlers and preteens. As an added bonus, some all-inclusive retreats even offer babysitting services (read: free day care), enabling parents to enjoy quality alone time.
STAY IN THE KNOW AND SPOT PRICE DROPS WITH EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS
Apart from using price-monitoring tools such as Google Flights, Kayak and Hopper, it’s a wise idea to subscribe to savvy travel deal sites like Airfarewatchdog.com and The Flight Deal to stay attuned to current promotions. Get a sense of current pricing by utilizing airfare-forecast tools like Hopper, so you know when to book to snag a favorable price, and also search for deeply discounted prices on Skyscanner, Google and Airfarewatchdog. That way, you’ll be ready to pounce when you receive a price drop notification. Also, sign up for airline newsletters. With major carriers like JetBlue, you can often stay looped in on short-lived flash sales by simply becoming an email subscriber.
DON’T GIVE UP POINTS
After racking up thousands of miles and hotel points, the last thing you want to do is let your points expire. Even if you don’t want to redeem miles instantly, you can avoid letting them go to waste by utilizing handy tracking apps.
With AwardWallet, for instance, you can monitor your frequent flyer miles, hotel loyalty points and credit card points on one platform and receive alerts if your points are at risk of expiring. And with Points.com, you can transfer points and miles to different programs and keep track of your account balance. Another tool to keep in your arsenal is TripIt Pro’s Point Tracker, which records points accumulated in different programs.
STAY IN SECOND CITIES
Los Angeles. Paris. Tokyo. There’s one problem with these popular destinatations. They’re already on the worldly traveler’s radar. Instead of dealing with inflated crowds and prices, look for less-trafficked, yet equally alluring destination where you can maximize savings.
Across the pond, consider checking out destinations where you can take advantage of a strong dollar. Perrin highlights Portugal, Spain and Eastern European countries – including newcomers such as Estonia, Romania and Montenegro – as top destinations for value-seekers. Also consider Southeast Asia to maximize value. “Thailand and Vietnam, for instance, deliver luxury hotels with some of the world’s lowest prices yet the best service,” she says.
CURTAIL LUGGAGE FEES
It’s no secret that checked baggage fees can be lofty. Whenever possible, it’s a wise idea to skip the headache and hefty cost of checking a bag. Instead, weigh your bag in advance of your trip and brush up on the added fees required from each airline. Delta Air Lines, for example, imposes a $25 fee for checked bags and a $35 fee for an additional bag for Main Cabin seats. JetBlue similarly requires $25 for the first checked back and $35 for a second checked bag. And if you’re contemplating booking a bare bones Basic Economy ticket, pack strategically. With American or United, you could incur a $25 gate-handling cost for bringing a carry-on.
TAP INTO ONLINE WAREHOUSE CLUBS AND SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
If you’re already an avid user of warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco, consider checking out Boxed Hotels to seize upon enticing travel perks. With Boxed Hotels, you won’t incur a membership fee, and you can take advantage of receiving bulk products at a cheaper price than you would pay elsewhere.
Plus, you can tailor your search to your specific criteria and pick out the hotel price, name and rating that best matches your needs. Another booking tool worth adding to your arsenal is FinalPrice, a subscription-based platform (for a $99 annual fee) that aims to provide the lowest prices on hotels, car rentals and airfare by listing exclusive rates at-cost.